High-voltage insulator.



x L. STEINBERGER.

HIGH VOLTAGE INSULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIT, 1912.

1,182,940, Patented May16, 1916.

ill

. 'mmron WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS STEINBERGER, OF BROQKLYN, NEW YORK.

HIGH-VOLTAGE msumron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Original application filed September 21, 1910, Serial No. 588,025. Divided and this application filed May 17, 1812. Serial No. 698,010.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS STEINBERGER, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in High- Voltage Insulators, of which the following I I seek, among other things, to provide aninsulator which is compact, simple and practical in its construction, and which may be manufactured at low cost, being of comparatively small size in proportion to the high voltages which it will resist.

Among the purposes sought to be accomplished by the aid of my invention, are the following: I. To provide an insulator formed of two separately formed parts comprising an insulator proper and a protecting hood attached thereto in such manner as to provide a dry dead air space between said insulator proper and said hood peculiarly adapted for dispelling moisture laden air from metallic portions of the device. II. To provide an insulator comprising two separately formed main parts as mentioned, said parts being flexibly connected to each other whereby a member supported by one of said parts may have a limited movement and transmit its movement to said supporting part without injuring the connection between said supporting part and the'other part of the device. III. To provide an insulator comprising two separately formed main parts as mentioned, being flexibly connected together, and to provide means independent of the flexible connection, whereby said parts may be readily disconnected fro-m each other. IV. To provide an insulator formedof two separately formed parts as mentioned, said parts being connected together but being rotatable relatively to each other, so that a member supported by one of said parts may be rotated into any desired position and transmit its rotation to said supporting member without necessarily effooting the ositlon of said other member.

' V. To provide a structure as described, comprising an insulator part and a protecting hood therefore, and to provide a conductor extending from the insulator part and proecting through the material of the hood and serving to support the hood spaced from the msulator part. VI. To fashion a portion of the conductor within the hood so as to comprise a swivel joint whereby the insulator part may have free rotary movement relatively to the hood.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less broad than those stated above, will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts; and applications of principles constituting the invention, and the scope of protection contemplated therefor will be indicated in the appended claims. V

In the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken'as a part of this specification, and in which I have illustrated a merely preferred form of embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is a vertical, transverse, sectional View taken centrally through an insulator constructed in accordance with this invention; and Fig. 2 is a view similarto Fig. 1, but being taken at right angles thereto.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the insulator proper, which, for

convenience, will be hereinafter referred to simply as an insulator. 2 indicates the protecting hood. These parts are separately formed and flexibly and adjustably connected together as hereinbefore mentioned and may be specifically described as follows: The insulator 1 comprises a disk 3 having a convexed or conically shaped upper surface 4, and a conoaved or recessedunder surface 5, from the hollow or, central-portion, of which depends a massive cylindrical body portion 6 extending considerably below the plane of the outer periphery of the disk and being reinforced by a suitable metallic member which is molded or otherwise embedded therein, and which comprises preferably a flexible wire cable 7 formed into a loop or U-shape having straight leg ortions 8 extending substantially parallel ongitudinally of said body portion, and having its opposite ends 9 projecting above the upper surface 4 of the insulator. The hollow or loop portion of the cable 7 extends into the lower meral 11, which comprises preferably a flexible cable 12 having its intermediate portion extending through the aperture 10 and having its opposite ends depending along the sides of the body portion 6 and detachably connected together by a clamp 13. The A. clamp 13 is of substantially Y-shape and is formed of two parts havlng ears 14 connected together by screws 15. The ends of the cable 12 extend into the legs of the Y and are twisted together and extend into the stem of the Y, so that when the screws 15 are tight, the ends of the cable are inseparably connected. The hollow of the Y provides a convenient seat, as 16, centrally below the body portion 6, for engagement by a part of an article to be supported, as indicated at 17 in the drawings which may, for instance, be a part of another insulating unit, as shown in the pending application referred to.

Surrounding the body portion 6 of the insulator, intermediate said body portion and the periphery of the. disk, is formed a pendent annular rid e 18.

The upper en s 9 of the cable 7, where they project above the surface 4 of the insulator, are twisted together as at 19, between the two parts of a clamp 20 in a manner exactly similar to the manner in which the ends of the cable 12 are held in the clamp 13 described. above, said clamp 20 being, however, inverted with respect to said clamp 13 and having its lower ends spaced slightly above the surface of the insulator so as to permit of a limited degree of flexibility between said clamp and insulator through the medium of cable 7.

The hood 2 is formed with a pocket 21 centrally of its under surface to receive said clamp 20, and above said pocket the material of the hood is considerably thickened, and molded or otherwise secured therein, is a reinforcing metallic tension member 22 comprising a basket shaped lower portion 23 and a bail portion 24. The portion 23 is formed centrally with a countersunk aperture 25 opening into the pocket 21. A screw 26, formed with a flared head 27,. extends through the aperture 25, the head 27 fitting into the countersunk portion thereof for retaining said screw against detachment. The lower threaded portion of the screw depends into the pocket 21 sufficiently to be engaged by the clamp 20, and the two parts of said clamp are formed with threads to enga e the threads of the screw. The materia of the hood covers the head of the screw and prevents its upward displacement, but does not necessarily interfere with the rotation of the screw about its lon 'tudinal axis. The provision thus forme for permitting rotation of the insulator relatively to the hood is of especial service, when, for instance, an article being supported, is twisted or set at an angle not readily accommodated by the pocket 16 in the clamp 13 while said pocket is in a given position. Under such circumstances, the pocket and with it the entire insulator proper, may be turned, upon the vertical axis of the insulator, to a suitable extent for disposing the pocket to best accommodate the article being supported. Ordinarily, the members of the clamp 20 will engage the threads of the screw 26 so tightly as to prevent rotation between the screw and the clamp, but it will be understood that rotation may be readily provided here, if desired, through the medium of the interengaging threads, irrespective of the rotation of the screw within the basket.

Engagement of the clamp with the screw renders the clamp substantially immovable relatively to the hood, except a rotary movement about the longitudinal axis of the screw, as just set forth. A sufiicient flexibility however, between the insulator and the clamp, and therefore between the insulator and the hood, is provided through the medium of the flexible cable 7, which, it

.will be noted, is the only connection extending between said insulator and the clamp.

By slightly loosening the screws of the clamp 20 the clamp can be readily detached from the screw 26, for the making of repairs or for other purposes, without injuring the connection of the clamp with the strain member 7. The insulator and hood can thus be disconnected from each other without disturbing the quality or set adjustment of the flexible feature of their connection so that when the parts are again connected the degree of flexibility between them will be the same as before.

Beyond the pocket 21 the hood is flared downwardly to dispose the under surface thereof at an incline to correspond substantially to the incline of the upper surface 4 of the insulator. The under surface of the hood, throughout its extent, is, however, spaced slightly above the upper surface of the insulator, and said hood, being of a larger diameter than said insulator, its outer periphery is disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane as the outer periphery of the insulator. An upwardly inclining narmw annular space is thus formed be- .tween the opposing faces of. the insulator and hood, said space terminating, at its apex, in'the pocket 21, and being amply protected by the greater extent of the hood. This space,'especially near its central portion in the enlarged pocket 21, is thus rendered capable of retaining a relatively dry dead air which will operate to exclude moisture laden air from the vicinity of the clamp and other metal parts between the hood. and the insulator. 'In the event of an accumulation of condensation upon the opposing walls of the hood and insulator, such condensation will flow downwardly away from the metal connections and drip off the outer peripheries of the hood and insulator;

The under side of the insulator is so shaped as to conduct condensation and other accumulated moisture away from the body portion 6 thereof. For instance, between the ridge 18 and the periphery of the insulator, said under surface inclines continuously downwardly toward the periphery of the insulator, so as to lead mositure toward said periphery. Moisture collecting upon the ridge 18 will drip directly therefrom without necessity for coming into contact with, or flowing down, the sides of the body portion 6.

It will be noted that, though the reinforcing cable 7 is embedded within the material of the insulator, yet its twisted construc tion renders it slightly extensible under stress, enough so as to absorb sudden violent mechanical shocks and save the insulator from destruction.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided an insulator comprising two parts; an insulator proper, and a protecting hood therefor, the hood being shaped to inclose the greater portion of the bulk of the insulator, and the insulator being relatively small and being shaped so as to cooperate with portions of the hood to form efficient means for protecting the connections between the parts from moisture, and each of said parts being formed to give the maximum degree of resistance to the direct force of rain, sleet, etc. I have provided a metallic conductor extending between the parts, of desirable slight extensibility, whereby they may be supported themselves and may support a weight without appreciable strain upon the insulating material of which they are composed.

I have formed the metallic conductor so as to comprise a swivel joint whereby the parts may be rotated freely relatively to each other. I have provided a flexible connection between the parts, and have provided means for readily disconnecting the parts with deranging the fixed adjustment of the members forming the flexible connection.

It is apparent that I have also provided a reinforcing member for the insulator part arranged so as to afford a lateral swinging movement between the parts, and that I have connected this reinforcing member to the hood by means affording a free rotary movement the combination thus set up affording a thoroughly substantial structure comprising two main parts capable of a wide range of movement relatively to each other, one part being the insulator-and the other part being the hood spaced from the insulator and peculiarly cooperating therewith to protect the connections therebetween.

The insulator and the hood illustrated may be formed of any suitable material such ii skelectrose, hard rubber, porcelain, or the 1 e.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is:

1. In an insulating means, the combination with an insulator, and a separately formed protecting hood therefor, of a metallic conductor extending from said insulator entirely through the material of said hood and serving to support said hood spaced from said insulator, said conductor being divided within the material. of the hood, and the parts thereof being pivotally connected with each other within the hood.

2. In an insulating means, the combination with an insulator, and a separately formed protecting hood therefor, of a me: tallic conductor extending from said insulator entirely through the material of said hood and serving to support said hood spaced from said insulator, said conductor having an enlarged portion within the material of the hood formed into a bearing seat and the conductor having a portion formed into a head disposed in said hearing seat to form a swivel connection within the hood for the insulator.

3. The combination with an insulator member. of a protecting hood therefor disposed thereabove, said insulator having a convexed upper surface, and said hood having a concaved under surface spaced only slightly from the upper surface of the insulator, whereby to provide a downwardly flaring narrow passage of substantially uniform height extending from the central portion of the insulator to the edge thereof in all directions, one of said members being formedwith a pocket centrally thereof into which said. passage opens, and connecting means for said members extending loosely through said pocket, said pocket being larger than said connecting means so as to provide an air space within the pocket about said connecting means.

4. The combination with an insulator member. of at protecting hood therefor disposed thereaboi 'e, said insulator having a convexed upper surface, and said hood having a flange part depending toward said insulator, the under surface of said hood being formed with a recess centrally'thereof providing an air pocket above the central portion of the insulator, connecting means for said members arranged in said pocket spaced from the side walls thereof to provide an air space about said connecting means, and the lower edge of said flange being extended outwardly and downwardly so as to provide a flaring narrow annular passage extending from said pocket to the outer edge of the insulator in all directions.

The combination, with a disk insulator member, of a protecting hood member therefor, connecting means extending between the insulator member and hood member spaced from the edges thereof serving to retain said insulator member and hood member in closely juxtaposed relation but sufliciently spaced apart to form a narrow passage-way of substantially uniform height extending from the connecting means to the edge of the insulator member, and one of said members having a pocket formed therein into which said passage opens, the connecting means for said members extending through said pocket, and said pocket being larger than said connecting means so as to provide an air space in said ocket about said connecting means.

6. In an insulating means, the combination witlr a body of insulating material, and a. protecting hood therefor, of a pair of strain members projecting upwardly from said body of insulating material, the outer ends of said strain members being connected together, and means engaging over the connected portions of said st 'ain members to retain the same against disconnection, and means whereby said last mentioned means also serves to connect said strain members with said hood.

7. In an insulating means, the combination with a body of insulating material, and a protecting hood therefor, of a pair of strain members projecting upwardly from said body of insulating material, the outer ends of said strain members being connected together, means engaging over the connected portions of said strain members to retain the same against disconnection, and means whereby said last mentioned means provides a swivel connection between said strain members and said hood.

8. An insulator structure, comprising an insulating part and a protecting hood therefor spaced thereabove, a plurality of strain members protruding from the insulator part, a connecting member connecting said strain members together, and a member extending through the hood being fixed thereto and having swivel engagement with said connecting member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS STEINBERGER.

Vitnesscs:

L. GUSFORD HANDIE, RAY LONDON. 

